


No one told you. . .

by missobsessed22, NKNovak



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Friends!AU, human!AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-01-15 18:08:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18504310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missobsessed22/pseuds/missobsessed22, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NKNovak/pseuds/NKNovak
Summary: Enjoy the personal and professional (but mostly personal) lives of Benny Lafitte, Dean Winchester, Gabriella Novak, and Samantha Winchester, who live with and off each other in Manhattan, the heart of New York City.This is a Friends!AU





	1. . . . Life was gonna to be this way

Benny Lafitte was living by himself in his rent control 2-bedroom apartment in New York City. Benny had a good job and was living comfortably but having a roommate would be a huge help and he did have a spare bedroom. Putting an ad for a roommate in the paper seemed like a good idea, until he found out how many fucking weirdos read apartment listings in the paper. There were people who smelled like a farm, people who seemed like they would be very sketchy about rent, people who had conversations with themselves, he interviewed person after person and person after person was making him lose more and more hope about ever finding a roommate. That was, however, until Dean Winchester arrived in his doorway.  
“Hey, are you here about the apartment?” Benny asked when he answered the door.  
“Yeah, you must be Benny. Dean Winchester, great to meet ya” Dean said, shaking Benny’s hand. The two sat down on Benny’s couch and started to talk for a while, longer than any of the previous interviews. In fact, it soon changed from an interview into a regular conversation. Dean was gorgeous, a model, had a steady income, was very funny, lived very similarly to him, and couldn’t have been more perfect. Once their 2-hour conversation ended Dean stood up. “This was great, I really loved talking with you”  
“When can you move in?”  
“. . . Wait, what?” Dean was shocked. He’d been trying to find a place to live in New York that wasn’t his tiny studio for a few years now.  
“I want you to be my roommate, when can you move in?”  
“Tomorrow” Dean replied.  
“Done, I’ll make you a key and give it to you when you get here tomorrow”

When Dean left the apartment, he walked a few steps across the hall, knocking on the door. A blonde girl opened the door, Dean recognized her as Gabriella Novak. Gabriella Novak took one look at Dean and said “yeah, we’re not interested in changing religions or whatever your selling” she tried to close to door on him.  
“Haha” Dean caught the door before she could close it and let out a sarcastic laugh “very funny, Gabby, now let me talk to Sam”  
“Sam? No Sam lives here”  
“Who’s at the door?” Came a voice from inside the apartment. Dean recognized it right away before Gabby could answer Dean called in. “It’s Dean!”  
“Dean!” Sam said excitedly, rushing to the door, hugging her brother tightly, leaving Gabriella to retreat further inside the apartment while Sam continued to talk to her brother. “Hey! What are you doing here?!”  
“I just moved into the apartment across the hall”  
“What?! You’re kidding!”  
“Nope, getting the key tomorrow”  
“That’s so fantastic!! I’ll get to see you all the time now!! I missed you so much!!”  
“I missed you too, sis”  
“You used to live so far away. Why did you ever think that was a good idea?”  
“To be honest, I have no idea, Sammy”  
“Do you want to come in and hang out?”  
“I would but I have to go back home and start packing my things. I just wanted to say a quick hello and tell you the news.”  
“Okay! But I’ll see you tomorrow!”  
“You will! Bye Sammy”  
“Adios Dean” Sam said before shutting the door.  
“So, Dean is moving across the hall?” Gabby said from the couch.  
“Yep! I’m so excited, I haven’t gotten to see him very much in the past few years and I really miss him”  
Gabriella also hadn’t seen him much, although they did have enough run-ins to build up a (mostly friendly) rivalry, she often forgot what he looked like. “Pretty cute, no wonder he’s a model”  
“His pictures are even cuter. Whatever they do in post-production is fantastic”  
“He’s probably one of those guys that get around” Gabriella said sounding disinterested. There was a short pause before she added “I’m more into nerds myself”  
“Really?”  
“Yep”  
“You never bring home nerds”  
Gabriella frowned. “Nerds don’t seem to have a thing for me”  
“I’m sure that’s not true”  
“You said it yourself, Sammich, I never bring them home”  
“But you’re such a catch! Why wouldn’t-” Samantha cut herself off upon realizing something “no wait I think I get it”  
“Oh really?” That took Gabriella by surprise, wasn’t Sam supposed to be the nice one out of the two roommates. “Well, then, Sammich, what makes me so undesirable? Too funny? Too good at cooking and baking? Too cute? Hmm?”  
“All of those things, yes, but knowing you, your pick up lines probably make them uncomfortable”  
“My pickup lines a great”  
“Yeah? Tell me some”  
“‘Did you just come out of my oven? Because your hot’ I tried that in my bakery, the man left without buying anything. Also, I saw a woman who looked a bit uncomfortable around a bunch of guys, I was able to get the guys away from her then said, ‘Did your license get suspended for driving all these guys crazy?’ She laughed but when I had my back turned, she left, and I never saw her again that night. The last woman I tried to pick up looked like she wasn’t having the best night so I asked her about her day, she told me all about it and I listened and then I said ‘I’m pretty sure I have something that can make it better’ with a wink. She got mad, threw her drink my face and walked out.”  
“You really just say the wrong things at the wrong time, Gabby”  
Gabriella sighed. “How do you pick up men. . . or women, not actually sure what your into?”  
“I’m into women, and if you haven’t noticed I haven’t had a girlfriend in years”  
“I just assumed that was cause your always too busy working or actually enjoying your one day off to actually try and pick up anyone. You probably could if you wanted to”  
“Nope, I just suck at flirting with cute girls”  
“Wow”  
“You sound surprised”  
“Well, I don’t know. I mean your tall, thin, great hair, super smart. You’d think girls would be tripping over themselves to talk to you. . . Then when they see you’re a neat freak they’d leave”  
“. . . I’m gonna go read”  
“I was just making a joke, Sammich”  
“Yeah, I know. I have a book to finish”  
Sam went to her room and Gabriella worked around the kitchen. She made dinner for herself and Samantha and they ate it while the m and m cookies Gabriella had baked simultaneously cooled.  
“I know I tell you this the all the time but you’re an amazing chef”  
“Thanks, Sammich! And after we eat my amazing dinner, we can enjoy fresh warm cookies!”  
“I’m so lucky to live with a baker”  
“You know it”

The next day Sam helped Dean move into the apartment across the hall. She knew Benny just from being his neighbor, they were very friendly in the hall, but they weren’t exactly friends.

When they were done helping Dean move it Benny suggested they all get some coffee at the bakery below the building. Samantha agreed. “I was gonna go down their soon anyway to see Gabby”  
“Gabby? Like Gabriella Novak? The owner?” Benny asked in shock. Gabriella was a bit of an East Village celebrity. Her bakery was well known for having reasonably priced, delicious pastries and other baked goods. She’d also have amusing posters in the window of her shop advertising her specialty pastries she had for every holiday. Her bakery was so popular there was always a line.  
“Yeah. She’s my friend and roommate”  
“I’ve never seen her in the building!”  
“Well, she spends most of her time in the apartment or in the bakery so you wouldn’t see her in the hall unless you happened to be in the halls the same time as her”  
“What’s it like living with her?”  
Samantha shrugged. She wasn’t sure if Benny was curious about what she like as a person or as a baker. She decided to go with the later since that’s all he knew about Gabby. “She’s a ridiculously good chef, I wish I could cook half as good as she can bake”  
“She can cook as good as she bakes?” Benny asked. “I’d love to taste anything she makes”  
“We should have you guys over sometime. Gabby cooks almost every night”  
“That’s a great idea, Sammy” Dean replied.

Benny, Dean, and Samantha walked downstairs and into Gabriella’s bakery. Gabriella noticed when Sam walked in because she was filling the display cases with freshly cooked baked good. She smiled and waved at Sam.  
Sam smiled brightly and walked over to Gabby. “Well hello there Gabby, got anything new today to test out on people?”  
“Well, I just the cappuccino machine I ordered just came this morning. Still kinda learning how to use it, want one?”  
“Sure.” Sam was pretty adventures when it came to Gabriella. She’d try anything Gabriella made once.  
“Anything else you want with it?” Gabriella asked.  
“Yeah, one of your cinnamon scones”  
“And anything for your friends?” Gabby asked.  
“Hmm, I suppose I’ll get them something. Surprise me, I’m sure they’ll eat anything”  
“Great. Makes my job easier”  
“Thanks a bunch, Gabs”  
Samantha took a seat. A few new people seemed a little annoyed this woman got to skip the line, though they didn’t say anything. Meanwhile, the regulars were used to the special treatment Sam got because she was friends with the owner. 

While the three were enjoying their coffee and snacks a woman rushed in. Sam wouldn’t have taken much noticed except this woman looked like someone she knew years ago, in high school but instead of wearing dark clothes and the leather jacket she loved she was wearing and long white dress and a veil, like she was a bride ready to be wed. “Oh my god” Sam said unable to look away from the woman “Is that. . . Ruby?”


	2. Your job's a joke, you're broke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day. Wow.

Ruby heard her name and turned, a feeling of relief washing over her when she saw the speaker. “Samantha? Oh, god, I haven’t seen you in years!”  
Samantha smiled, she started walking over to Ruby and Ruby met her halfway, they hugged. “I haven’t seen you since high school!”  
“I know! It’s so good to see you, I’m so glad to see a familiar face”  
“Let me introduce you” Samantha said gesturing to the table she was sitting at. “You remember my brother, Dean, right?” Dean waved from where he was sitting.  
“Yes, of course Dean”  
“And this is Benny, Deans new roommate. My roommate, Gabriella, is in the bakery’s kitchen working, you can meet her later.” Sam noticed some of the looks Ruby was getting “Actually, we’re done here, would you like to come back to my apartment?”  
“Yeah, I’d really like to take shower if you don’t mind”  
“No problem” 

Samantha took Ruby back to her place and let her shower. When it came to borrowing clothes, Sam knew Ruby would be swimming her clothes and Gabriella’s clothes would be too small. Sam decided that she’d find some clothes she knew were baggy on Gabriella and hope for the best. It worked out, they fit her. Dean and Benny, who were very interested into what the hell was going on, went to Samantha’s apartment with her, using Dean being Samantha’s brother as the excuse for why they were there.  
“So, what brings you to our neck of the woods in a wedding dress?” Sam asked Ruby when she was dry and cozy on the couch.  
“Oh that” Ruby said, frowning. “I was supposed to get married”  
“To who?”  
“My fiancé. . . Bela Talbot”  
“Oh shit, you and Bela are still together?”  
“Of course, we love each other”  
“Then why did you run?”  
“I never wanted to get married and she knew that but her parents pressured me into having a big wedding, I agreed at first because I love Bela and I wasn’t going to let them scare me into not marrying her then I got there, I was in the church the door opened I stepped in everyone turned to look at me. I couldn’t stand it, their judging eyes, their frowning faces. I’m not one to run away but I did, I. I love Bela but I hate her family!”  
“I’m so sorry Ruby. That sounds awful”  
“Yeah, it was”  
“Well, you’re always welcome around here”  
That made Ruby smile. She had nowhere to go. She couldn’t go back home to her own parents and she couldn’t go back to Bela’s house with Bela’s parents staying there, especially not after she ran out of the wedding. She had nowhere to go, but now she had Sam. “Thank you, Sam”  
“No problem, Ruby, I’m just happy we happened to be in the bakery at that time.”  
“When does your roommate get off work?” Ruby asked  
“I’d like to meet her” Benny added.  
“Her bakery usually closes around 7 so after cleaning and locking up she get home around 8:30-9”  
“Wow, that’s a long ass day” Dean replied.  
“Yeah. But she doesn’t mind it, she makes her own hours after all”  
“Is this always what she wanted to do?” Benny asked.  
Sam nodded. “She told me she started cooking when she was a girl with her mom. She started to really like it and in high school experimented with her own recipes, she bragged to me about how she dominated bake sales in high school because while everyone was making the same vanilla Little Debbie cupcakes she was making her own red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting from scratch. It was during her high school years she decided she wanted to open her own bakery”  
“That’s amazing”  
“Yeah. Gabby is pretty amazing”  
“I’m excited to get to know her” Ruby said.

The four spent a lot of time catching up, or in Benny’s case getting to know each other. Sam just quickly boiled some pasta for the four of them, the one dish she knew she couldn’t mess up.

“Hey” Gabriella said when she returned “a blonde woman, I think she said her name was Bela, came into my shop when I was closing and asked if I had seen a woman in a wedding dress and I’m guessing there isn’t too many people running around in wedding dresses in New York City. Would you like to talk to her?” Gabriella asked Ruby. “Or would you like me to tell her to leave?”  
“Bela’s here?” Ruby paused, only for a short time before answering. “I think I’ll talk to her” She was sure Bela wouldn’t want to see her again (she did run out on their wedding) maybe this was a little glimmer of hope?  
Gabriella opened the door, Ruby walked into the hallway so she could talk to Bela in private. The minute the door was closed, Sam walked over and put her ear to it.  
“Was she wearing m-”  
“Shhh!” Samantha cut Gabriella off.  
“I’m pretty sure what your doing is an invasion of-”  
Samantha cut Gabriella off again, saying “Ruby is my friend, this is not an invasion of privacy this is concern. Now, shut it!”

“I was looking all over the city for you” Bela told Ruby when her girlfriend has stepped out into the hall.  
“So, you can yell and me and tell me you never want to see me again?”  
“Ruby, you’re the one who ran away, not me”  
“So you’re obviously mad at me. Getting the last word in has always been something you’re good at”  
“I’m not mad I just want to know why”  
“I couldn’t do it. Looking at everyone as I walked in was just awful. They were all frowning disapprovingly, and I could see they all hated me. I do love you Bela, but I just didn’t want to marry you. Maybe one day, but not now.”  
“I love you too, Ruby, I don’t care if you want to get married”  
“You don’t?”  
“No. I don’t want a big wedding, that was all my family. I just want you.” Bela took Ruby’s hand. “I have a place in the city we can stay so you don’t have to go back to the same home my parents are in”  
“Let me tell Sam I’m leaving” There was a sudden banging sound inside the apartment which, unbeknownst to Bela and Ruby, was Sam jumping away from the door, almost falling over in her haste.  
“What did Bela say?” Sam asked, trying to act like she was eavesdropping when Ruby opened the door.  
“She has a place in the city for us to stay where we can be alone”  
“So, your leaving?” Sam asked.  
“Yes, but it’s not like I’m disappearing like after high school! I still want to come by and spend time with you”  
“You should. I’ll text you later, when your more settled”

The next morning Ruby woke up and noticed there was a blinking light on the apartment’s landline. Once she got over the shock that an apartment in this day and age had a landline, she clicked to listen to the message that was on it. Well, it was long, and it wasn’t nice. It was Bela’s parents saying they weren’t going to kick her out of the apartment they knew she was living in, but they weren’t going to pay her rent or pay for anything. Essentially, until Bela dumped her “white trash” (their words) girlfriend she was cut off from all her parents’ money. Ruby was livid, she wasn’t white trash, her parents were human garbage using money to break up her relationship! And Ruby knew, from being broke as a kid, money was a very strong motivator. 

Bela woke up not very long after Ruby played the message, kissing her girlfriend’s cheek sleepily. “Good morning my love”  
“Your mom and dad left us a message”  
“Oh did they?”  
“Yeah. You should listen to it”  
“Play it then”  
Ruby pressed the button on the land line and the message played. Bela expression slowly became solemn and she let out a sigh. “I was afraid this would happen. They’re the worst. . . We can do this, though, we’ll get jobs and just have to be normal people”  
“You’re sure you want to give up all your parents money?”  
“I’m going to miss it a lot, yeah, but I would rather have you in my life. I love you too much to let you go”  
Ruby smiled. “I’ll call Sam later, see if she can help us find some job that accept people without college degrees. She owes me a favor”

Ruby was the first to get a job, she called in a favor to Sam, and after Sam personally trained and helped Ruby prepare, she told the DA (who was looking for a secretary) that she knew someone who would be good for the job. Ruby got the job. It wasn’t too surprising. Ruby was very good at manipulating people, getting them to believe they need her help.

Bela, after she lied on her resume, managed to get a job as an assistant shopper on Saks. It helped that she knew a lot about clothing. Growing up wealthy she was constantly going to parties, fundraisers, galas, etc. and if her and her family didn’t look perfect at every event, her mother would raise hell. If it was one thing Bela knew, it was fashion, not because she cared but just from growing up. It showed too. She knew what to wear for the interview and what to say. She got the job.

Dean on the other had run into a speed bump with his career. It all started when he had a one-night stand with a woman, they were both aware that this was a one night thing but damn Dean would see her again if he could. She was an older woman and she was amazing, so amazing he started telling someone of the people he worked with about her. One of the people who was nearby and heard him speaking was his manager, Crowley (as he was called).  
“Hang on a minute there, the woman you’re talking about you said her name was Rowena you said?” Crowley asked Dean.  
“Yeah that’s her name. I think I also caught her last name. . . McLeod, maybe”  
“Yeah, that my mother”  
“. . . What?”  
“Let me put it this way: your fired!”


	3. Your love life's DOA

“Fired?! But I didn’t know, I-!”  
Crowley cut Dean off “Well, now you do. Goodbye”  
“You can’t just fire me for sleeping with your mom!”  
“I can, and I just did”  
Dean was about to say something else but then Crowley called security to remove him from the premises. This was bullshit and he knew it, but he didn’t have any power here since his manager dropped him, so he went home.  
“You’re home early” Benny commented when he got home and saw Dean there, usually he was out later drinking with his manager, photographers, and studios, making friends and connections in order to stay relevant while he was still young.  
“Yeah, my manager dropped me as a client” Dean said, taking another sip of beer.  
“That’s rough. Why?”  
“Uh, artistic differences”  
“What does that mean?”  
“It means I slept with his mom”  
“Damn.” There was a short pause before Benny broke the silence by saying. “You want some dinner? Pizza?”  
“Yeah, pizza sounds good”  
“Alright. I’ll order some for us” Benny called the local pizzeria and ordered a pizza pie, that would be dinner for the next few days.

The following morning, Dean got up early to make some phone calls and send out some resumes. Over time was turned down from everyone almost immediately. Some said that they would accept an email of his resume, but he doubted anything would come of it. Crowley had blacklisted him!

After a month of not working and no promise of a new job Dean started to get desperate and put his resume out everywhere. He just needed a job, any job so he could keep living with Benny and across from Sammy. 

Eventually, he got a call, he wasn’t sure who is was from because it wasn’t a number he had saved on his phone, he assumed (and hoped) it was an employer.  
“Hello?”  
“Hello, is this Dean Winchester?” the man on the other end asked.  
“Yes, this is Dean Winchester!”  
“This is Castiel Novak from Center Stage Dance Studio. I got your resume and was wondering when you could come in for an interview”  
Dean was confused. He didn’t remember applying for a job at a dance studio, but he filled out so many applications it was possible. “Why does a dance studio want a model?”  
“Model? You applied for the receptionist position. If you’re not interested, I can just disregard your resume”  
“. . . No. I’ll come in for an interview” Dean decided, it’s not like he was getting much other work at the moment.  
“Perfect. Is noon tomorrow a good time for you?” Castiel asked.  
“Yes, it is. Thank you” Dean answered.   
“See you then, Mr. Winchester” Castiel said before hanging up.  
Dean sighed. On one hand he had a chance to get a job, on the other hand he’d probably be making less than half of what he made as a model. But it still was better than nothing.

The next day, Dean showed up early to the studio. The first room when he entered was empty, just a desk and two doors behind it. From one of the doors he could hear music and a voice, the voice was muffled but he assumed it was Castiel, he must still be teaching a class. Dean waited the few minutes for Castiel to dismiss his class, watching the stream of students exit before Castiel finally walked out of room and over to him. “You must be Dean”  
“Yes. And you are Castiel Novak”  
“That I am. You’re early, take a seat and relax, I’ll be right with you soon.”

The second door behind the receptionist desk was Castiel’s office; this is where he interviewed Dean after making sure all his students were picked up by their parents. “It’s nice to formally meet you, Dean”  
“Nice to meet you too”  
“So, your resume says you used to be a receptionist before you were a model”  
“Yes. I had a part time receptionist job during high school and after high school I worked as a receptionist in modeling agencies, I’d thought it would help me make connections”  
“Did it?”  
“No. Not any useful connections”  
“We don’t get a lot of calls, but we get enough. Parents are always calling in for one reason or another. You’ll have to handle the monthly tuition for the kids, keep track of the classes and appointments, just basic stuff. My receptionist just quit on me a week ago and I need the help”  
“Well, I have experience juggling many tasks at once and I have no problem talking to people, parents included”  
“Can you start today? If not, can you tomorrow?”  
“I can start today” Dean replied.  
“Great! Now, my next class is about to start so can I talk to you about pay at the end of the day?”  
“Sure thing, Novak” Dean knew he was probably going to be making the New York City minimum wage of $15 an hour but all the more reason to start working right away.   
“And if you have any questions, don’t be afraid to pop into the studio and ask”  
Dean nodded. “Will do.”  
It had been years since Dean worked as a receptionist, but he got the hang of it pretty quickly. Although, there wasn’t much to do the first day. Just wait for calls and write down messages left for Castiel or messages parents left for their kids.

After Castiel’s final class of the day he took a seat next to Dean. “How’s your first day been treating you?”  
“Not bad.” Dean passed Castiel the notepad onto which Dean had written all the messages that came in for him.   
Castiel quickly looked through all messages, making mental notes about which messages were very important to get back to and which ones could wait, then said “Perfect. Anyone drop off tuition? Any other important information?”  
“Not so far”  
Castiel nodded. “So, an easy first day”  
“Yep.”  
“I know it’s not much compared to what you’re probably used to, but I can give you $18 an hour while you work here. That’s what I was paying my last receptionist before he left”  
Dean nodded, at least it wasn’t minimum wage, it was livable for someone paying half the rent on a rent-controlled apartment. “Okay”  
“You’re really saving me here, Dean. Thank you. What’s your dinner of choice?” Castiel asked since it was late, far past lunch time.   
“Chinese food is my favorite; I’ll eat basically anything from the place near here”

So, how did you get into dance?” Dean asked as the two sat at Dean’s receptionist desk and chowed down, Castiel on his sweet and sour chicken and Dean on his house fried rice.  
“When I was little my mom was a dance teacher, she stopped when I got to be about 6 but my love for it carried on even after that”  
“Why’d she stop?” Dean asked.  
“She, uh. . . She got sick. Couldn’t keep up the energy for it anymore. Wanted to spend as much time with me and my sister as possible”  
“You have a sister too?”  
“Yeah. I haven’t talked to her in a while, though. I had a serious falling out with my father when I was about 16 and he kicked me out, she was still about 12 and wasn’t home so I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye or give her a way to contact me”  
“Oh. Wow. That’s rough”   
“What about you, do you have any siblings?”  
“One. A younger sister named Samantha”  
“Are you two close?”  
“Very. I actually live really close to her now, across the hall”  
“Have you always lived in the city or did you just move down here?”  
“I moved here from Kansas”  
“Kansas? That’s pretty far away” Castiel said. Talking about the distance but also about the differences, or at least his perceived differences, he’d never been to Kansas, but he imagined it being more suburban than metropolitan.  
“Well, there’s not too many modeling agency’s in Kansas. I had no choice”  
“That’s true, and not modeling with a pretty face like yours would be a waste” Castiel said, making sure it sounded like a joke so as not to make Dean uncomfortable.  
“Where are you from?” Dean asked.   
“I’m from Westchester, it’s just outside the city” Castiel too grew up in the suburbs but being downstate made it easy to visit the city whenever he wanted so when he moved it wasn’t a culture shock. “What do you like most about living here?” Castiel asked, wanting to get to know Dean more.  
“Probably the fact that my sister lives so close. . . And her roommate’s bakery”  
“Her roommate owns a bakery?”  
“Yeah. It’s called: Cake me up before you go-go”  
“That’s clever”  
“Eh, it’s her kinda humor” Dean shrugged.  
“Does she make good pastries?”  
“Some of the best. It’s a really popular place, I’m surprised you haven’t been there. We should go sometime, when you’re not working” Since Castiel had all Dean’s contact information Dean gave him permission to text him about non work-related issues, such as picking a time to go to the bakery together.


	4. It's like you're always stuck in second gear

That night Gabriella and Sam surprised the boys across the hall with dinner. Gabby was getting experimental and Sam refused to be the singular guinea pig if this went south so she invited them over. Gabriella was a little insulted that Sam thought this would go south but she also never turned down the opportunity to try out her food on more than one person.  
“I’m not saying it’s going to be bad; I’m only saying that I’ve had a few meals where I felt a little betrayed” Sam said to Gabriella as she continued to cook, she was almost done but not quite yet. She was making boeuf bourguigon, something she had always wanted to make but didn’t due to the daunting size of the recipe and her busy schedule, that ended tonight.  
Gabriella gasped. “How dare you, Sammy?!”  
“I dare because you have betrayed me before. I don’t know if you were punishing me for something or you were just really experimental but I’ve had some really bad dishes”  
“If it was bad, it’s because you deserved it, my dear”  
“How dare you use my reliance on you against me”  
Gabriella smirked. “Shouldn’t be so reliant on a Trickster, Sammich”  
“I can’t cook, of course I’m reliant on you!”  
“How did you survive before I was your roommate?”  
“On cup noodles and Kraft Mac and cheese”  
“Damn, Sam, you really need me”  
“Never leave me, I’ll die without you”  
“Can we eat now?” Dean asked, breaking up the roommates’ conversation, just as Gabriella’s alarm went off to let her know the casserole was done simmering.  
“Patience, Dean-o” Gabriella replied as she served dinner, placing it in the middle of the table. “Someone really shoulda taught you guys how to cook”  
“We, or I, know how to cook some stuff, nothing that ends up tasting as good as your food though” Dean replied.  
“Yeah, our dad wasn’t much of a cook” Sam added, “he mostly just bought take out”  
“What do you guys think so far?” Gabriella asked, eating some of her own dinner.  
“Fantastic as always” Benny said enthusiastically.  
“A little light on the salt but perfect otherwise” Dean commented, shoveling more into his mouth.  
“Too much salt isn’t healthy” Gabriella replied.  
“Gabby, I’ve seen you eat icing with a spoon from the carton, too much salt is nothing for you” Samantha said.  
“Yeah but salt leads to high blood pressure, icing is just a good idea”  
“You’re a good cook but you make zero sense” Dean said.  
“So, Dean, how was your job interview?” Samantha asked changing the subject after she caught sight of the glare Gabriella was giving Dean.  
“I got the job instantly” Dean told her.  
“Wow. That’s great”  
“It’s not much right now but it’s better than nothing, I just hope to get a modeling job soon.”  
“What’s your boss like?” Gabriella asked.  
“He seems like a really nice guy so far. He even bought me lunch today” Everyone who knew Dean also knew that food was one the easiest ways to Dean's heart, that and beer.  
“What’s him name?” Gabriella asked.  
“Cas. I can’t remember how to pronounce his full first name, it was something I’ve never heard before”  
“Okay” An emotion flashed across Gabriella’s face, too fast for Dean read what it was.  
“You good?” Dean asked.  
“Yeah” Gabriella nodded and gave Dean a confused look, as if she couldn’t understand why he would be asking that question. She continued speaking before Dean could reply. “I’m glad your all enjoying dinner, but I also made dessert so leave some room.”  
“Dessert too? What a peach” Sam said.  
“Funny you should say that, it’s actually peach pie”  
“Guess I can just read your mind roomie”  
“Guess so”

The next morning, Dean got an email from Castiel, it was his work schedule, he worked every day except for the weekends. As Dean worked for Castiel he still sent out resumes to modeling agencies, he wouldn’t give up on that, but while he hated not modeling, he really didn’t mind working with Castiel as a receptionist. It wasn’t hard, he made money (even if it was a huge decrease from his previous salary), and Castiel was a good boss and an even better friend.

One Friday, Dean asked Castiel if he would like to meet him at the bakery he had mentioned before. “It’s usually pretty busy on Saturday but since I know the owner, we can skip the line, just go directly to her”  
“That’s sounds fantastic, what’s the address?”  
Dean wrote it down and handed it to Castiel.  
“Perfect. 10:00?”  
“I’ll be there”  
“I can’t wait”  
Castiel and Dean went their separate ways, and met at the bakery the next morning. They walked inside and Dean headed for Gabby, who was taking fresh cinnamon rolls from the kitchen and filling the display.  
“Hey Gabby” Dean said.  
Gabriella’s head popped up from behind the display, her eyes found Dean’s but traveled to his guest that was following him just mere inches behind.  
“G-Gabriella?” Castiel asked, he almost couldn’t believe he was seeing her again.  
Gabriella’s smiled dropped when she saw Castiel. “Leave”  
“What?”  
“As the owner, I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone and I said /leave/“  
“I haven’t seen you in over a decade and that’s the first thing you have to say to me? Gabby, I missed you so much”  
“Missed me?! You’re the one who-” Gabriella paused, lowered her voice which she could hear was getting loud and said. “I can’t do this right now. I’m working. Listen, Castiel, if you don’t leave, I will have someone remove you” and with that Gabriella walked back into the kitchen.

“That was your sister?” Dean asked he walked down the street with Castiel, away from the bakery and toward his home.  
“Yeah, that’s my sister”  
“Sorry, Cas, I had no idea any of that was going to happen”  
“I know you didn’t.”  
“We come go somewhere else” Dean suggested.  
“I don’t really think I’m feeling up to that, I just want to go home”  
Dean walked Castiel home, when they go to Castiel’s building he asked. “Do you want to come inside? I can make you some coffee” Not because he wanted company, he didn’t, but it was a polite thing to do.  
“If anything, I should be making you coffee to apologize for what happened”  
“What happened wasn’t your fault, to be honest I’m not all that surprised. I thought she’d hate me”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. She’s probably always thought I abandoned her, never knowing the truth would have left a deep seeded hatred inside her”  
“Then all she has to do is learn the truth”  
“She’s never going to listen, and knowing Gabby right she’s going to avoid you for the next few days”  
“She can’t avoid me forever” Dean replied, “I’ll find a way to get her to listen to you”  
“You don’t have to involve yourself. She obviously wants me out of her life, I’ll live”  
“But you want to be part of hers and Gabriella deserves the truth”  
Castiel walked inside and Dean followed, accepting the invitation. He sat down at his kitchen table and put his head in his hands, he wasn’t crying but he was close. He missed Gabriella so much and it was killing him that she hated him so much. “I-I just miss her so much! I just want my sister back, Dean”  
“It’ll happen” Dean said siting by Castiel and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, already plotting a way to outsmart Gabriella and bring these siblings together.  
“God, I must look like a mess” Castiel said, pulling his head up and blinking back any wetness from his eyes. “I should go clean myself up. You can help yourself to some food.” Castiel pointed to his pantry. “I have bagels and muffins in there”  
“Alright” Dean nodded. “I’ll make you some coffee”


	5. When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back. I was unable to update during the summer months since I was busy. I wanted to get back to updating towards the end of August but unfortunately that didn't happen. I will try to keep my updates consistent like they were before the summer. One chapter a week on any of my works.

When Castiel returned to the kitchen after a few minutes, Dean had coffee brewing and two muffins, one for himself and one for Castiel.  
“You’re being so nice to me” Castiel whispered as he held his muffin.  
“You’re a nice guy and I am too.” Dean replied. “This is what friends are for.”  
“Friends? Yeah, sure. I definitely have those”  
“Oh, Cas, you need to get out more”  
“I don’t really have the time most days. I teach all day and on the weekends all I find myself doing is creating new dance routines”  
“Then every weekend I’ll make sure you get out. Hopefully the next one will turn out better though”  
Castiel let out a small chuckle and changed the subject from himself. “How’s the job search going?”  
“I’ve been blacklisted.” Dean frowned. “My career is over now” Maybe he should have just become a mechanic like his father, he was good enough with cars but no, he followed his dream, trying to be model living in New York City. “Did you follow your dreams?” He asked Castiel.  
“I didn’t for a long time, but I’m living it right now. I always wanted my own dance studio, and I put in all the time and effort and got it”  
“That’s great.”  
“Maybe if modeling isn’t working out you could try acting”  
“I don’t know about that. I’m not much of a Wonder Woman” Castiel understood the reference to model turned actress, Gal Gadot.  
“You never know until you try”  
“I’ll think about it”  
Castiel stood. He figured he should be a good host and take Dean’s mind off his troubles, even if only for a short time. “Do you want to watch something?”  
“Have you heard of the show: Dr. Sexy?”  
“Vaguely. An ex of mine liked it a little”  
“Well, if you have Netflix and can watch a show your ex liked without thinking about them, then you are in for a treat!”

Gabriella, being the boss decided to leave early, giving the store key to her most trusted employee to lock up. She went home wanting to talk to Sam but since Sam was still at work, she called Kali and left her a message (because it was currently 2:00 am where Kali was and she was sleeping). By the time, Sam got home Gabriella and calmed down enough she could tell Sam everything not just about what happened this morning but also everything else she would need to know about their family.  
“Hey there Gabs, you’re home very early. What’s up?” Sam asked when she walked in and started putting her things down.  
“You know how I can tell you anything?”  
“You mean the thing I’ve been telling you since the day we became best friends?”  
“Yeah. Well, it’s finally time to shut up and sit down, Sammich. It’s story time”  
“Let me grab some water and you’ll have my full attention”  
Gabriella and Sam sat down next to each other at the kitchen table. “Okay, so, the mom I’m always mentioning is actually my step-mom but since my mom died when I was 2 and my step-mom came into my life when I was 4 I call her “mom” because she’s the only mom I know. Castiel, my brother, was 6 when our mom died and was devastated. When our dad got remarried 2 years later, he wasn’t happy. He never had a good relationship with dad but now he was so passive aggressive towards mom, even though he had no reason to be such a jerk to her, she didn’t do anything wrong, she married dad and tried to be a good mom to us. Finally, one day, while mom and I were out having a fun mother-daughter day when I was 12 Castiel just up and left. I know he hated dad and didn’t like mom, but I didn’t realize how little I mattered to him that he’d just leave without saying good-bye or giving me anyway of contacting him. I hate Castiel.”  
“Oh my god, Gabby I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Sam asked, holding one of Gabriella’s hands.  
“I don’t really like talking about it. It’s not a fun or happy story, it brings people down and no one wants to hear it”  
“I want to know everything about you, Gabby. The good and the bad.”  
“If you wanna know everything about me I can tell you about the time I first told this another human being, I only told them because I thought they didn’t speak or understand English, they did”  
“Wow. Was it just a random street person?”  
“No, my room mate when I was studying abroad in India. She only ever spoke Hindi so 3 months into the semester, I was positive she couldn’t speak English. Then out of nowhere, after I told her so much about my life and secrets I wanted to get off my chest she starts speaking fluent English”  
“Oh, are you still in contact with her?”  
“Yes. Sorta. Kali’s still in India, we mostly just leave each other voice messages. Like pen pals but it’s faster and we can here each other speak. We like each other’s accent.”  
“That’s really cute. I hope one day she can come out here for a visit, I’d love to meet your old roommate/current pen pal”  
“That’d be a lot of fun!”  
“It would. If I may ask, what brought all of this on? What made you want to tell me all this?”  
“Oh right. Well, your brother brought him into my bakery and when I asked him to leave he had the audacity to talk to me like _I_ was the bad guy for asking him to leave!”  
“. . . Please don’t get mad at me for saying this, but do you think maybe you should talk to Castiel?”  
“That’s the stupidest idea I have ever heard” Gabriella said without missing a beat, “and if you ever say his name again you will have a life time ban from my bakery”  
“I’m not saying you were the bad guy, you’re not, you had every right to be mad and kick him out, but hasn’t part of you always wondered why he left? Hasn’t any part of you wanted to give him a piece of your mind for doing that to you?”  
“Not really. I tried not to think about him much, it’s not like he was thinking of me when he just vanished from my life forever”  
“Okay. I still think you should consider it at the very least. It might be nice to get some closure on the whole situation”  
“. . . Maybe”  
“And you know I only ever have your best interests in mind. I wouldn’t suggest something to you if I thought it would hurt you more than help”  
“Now, how about we order in your favorite take out tonight, relax, and watch really bad movies?”  
“That sounds amazing!”  
“You pick the movies, I’ll order dinner”  
“You got it, Sammich”


	6. Or even your year, but

The next few days Gabriella avoided Dean like the plague. So, in order to see Gabriella Dean texted his sister and told her that she and her roommate should come over to his apartment for dinner.  
Gabriella crossed her arms when Samantha read the text to her. “Does your brother even know how to cook?”  
“He doesn’t know how to cook much, but what he does know he’s very good at”  
“I think I’ll skip it”  
“No, come on, it’ll be fun!”  
“Sam, he’s gonna want to talk to me”  
“I’ll tell him not to”  
“. . . Fine, I’ll go” Gabriella relented. “But I’m not going to like it”  
“I’m not asking you to”  
“Good.”

The pair went to dinner and Benny answered the door, Dean too focused on finishing cooking to do so.  
“Hi Benny” Samantha smiled.  
“Hey there Sam, Gabby, welcome. Dean’s finishing up dinner”  
Gabriella and Sam looked at the pool table (where the dinner table was before it broke) then back at Benny. “Where do we sit for dinner?”  
“Well, Dean and I usually sit in the chairs and watch TV or the counter. . . So, sit anywhere, I guess.” Benny replied.  
“This sucks I’m going home” Gabby said, starting to leave before Sam grabbed her wrist and stopped her.  
“No, you’re not. We’re in this together” Samantha and Gabriella took a seat at the kitchen counter. Luckily for Gabriella, Dean didn’t talk about Castiel for the whole dinner. Then, when Gabriella and Samantha were about to leave, Dean pulled Gabriella aside to talk to her. “You know what I’m going to say, right?”  
“I don’t want to hear it, Dean. I hate him and I don’t want to speak to him or about him.”  
“You should. You need too.”  
“I need to do a lot of things, talking to him isn’t one”  
“He has some stuff you need to know. I would tell you, but I think you should hear it all from him”  
“Oh really now? Because I should listen to the asshole that abandoned me and never ever tried to get into contact with me for over a decade!”  
“It’s not like that”  
“You have no idea what it’s like!”  
“Dammit, Gabriella. I wanted Cas to tell you this but he didn’t leave”  
“What do you mean he didn’t leave? Of course, he left”  
“No, I’m telling you he didn’t”  
“But my dad told me he left”  
“Your dad lied. And from what I hear about your dad, him lying shouldn’t be that hard to believe”  
“You don’t know my father”  
“I’ve heard a lot about him from Cas”  
Gabriella paused, took a breath to release her anger and a minute to think about what she should do. She knew what her father was like and she knew his relationship with Castiel was rocky to say the least. She was still mad at him but maybe. . . “I want to talk to him.”  
“You do?”  
“Yes”  
“You want his number? Or address? I can give you both”  
“I want his address” This what not a conversation that could be had over the phone, they needed to have it face to face and not in public.  
“I’ll give you both anyway” Dean said grabbing a stray pen and paper and writing both down. Gabby took the paper before going back to her apartment.

“Are you really going to see him, or did you just say that to get my brother to leave you alone?” Sam, who may have over heard Gabriella and Dean’s conversation, asked.  
“I think I might actually see him” Gabby answered.  
“Good for you, Gabby” Samantha smiled.  
“I’m gonna yell at him for being a fucking dick”  
Samantha frowned. I thought you were going to talk to him like I and Dean advised you to do. Not yell at him like you said Kali advised you to do!”  
“Why not? He deserves it!”  
“Maybe and if that’s the case then sure, yell at him. But Dean said something about him not leaving, right?”  
“I don’t believe him”  
“I do”  
“Of course you do he’s your brother”  
Samantha sighed and shrugged. “Do whatever you want to do, Gabriella. I’m going to bed”  
“Goodnight Sammich”  
Gabby and Sam went to bed, but Gabriella couldn’t sleep, she kept thinking about her brother. Was it true? Did he not just up and leave? What was the story? What was his side?

After work the next day instead of going straight home Gabriella took a detour to Castiel’s house, she knew he’d be home, Dean also wrote his work hours on the paper she gave him last night. She hesitated for what felt like hours before knocking on the door, and then Castiel answered. “Gabby?”  
“No”  
“Gabriella, I can see you”  
“Nope”  
“Gab-”  
“Cas stop talking for like a minute and let me collect my thoughts”  
Castiel silently stared at Gabriella before asking. “What are you doing?”  
“Deciding whether to hug or harangue you. . . You have one minute to tell me what happened when we were young. But it better be the truth”  
“A minute?”  
“Quickly, Castiel!”  
“I was mad at dad. I was mad at him for getting over mom so fast. By the time he married Becky I still wasn’t over the fact that mom was dead, I was still so sad and turned it into anger and aggression. All my life I just kept being mad, and I was disrespectful and passive aggressive because I never forgave him. Well, dad got tired of it. When you and Becky went out that Saturday, we got into a huge fight about how I was acting and what I was like. It ended with him kicking me out. He told me that if I couldn’t accept how life was, if I couldn’t respect him or his wife and everything, they had done then I didn’t deserve to live there. He gave me 10 minutes to pack a bag and get out”  
“You were always a dick to mom. I thought you left because you hated her and dad and me”  
“I didn’t leave, dad kicked me out. I wouldn’t have ever left, Gab, and if I did, I wouldn’t have left without saying goodbye and giving you a way to talk to me”  
“How come you never tried to talk me? You know where I went to school, we had the same favorite bookstore”  
“Because whenever I could have gotten to you, dad or Becky was right there with you. I couldn’t try to talk to you with them there, they would have never let me”  
“Mom might have, she’s nicer than dad you know”  
“I just didn’t want to take any chances. I’m sorry, Gabby”  
“Yeah. I’m glad you didn’t just leave”  
“Do you. . . Do you want to come inside and catch up?”  
“Uh, yeah”  
Castiel smiled and stepped out of the way. “Come on inside, I’ll make some cocoa”  
Gabriella walked inside and sat down in the kitchen. “Have you learned how to make it without burning it, yet?”  
“Yes, I have. I’m a lot better at a lot of things”  
“Good to hear”  
“So, you’re a baker now?”  
“Yep! I have my own bakery”  
“Are you even better than I remember?”  
“Of course I am. I never stopped improving and experimenting”  
“If you’ll un-ban me from your shop I’d love to come by and try some sweets”  
“Sure, starting now you are un-banished”  
“Thank you, and if you ever want to I’d love for you to come to my studio, I’ll give you a free dance class”  
“Maybe one day. I was never as good at dancing as you were”  
“No but you were really cute trying to dance when you were 2. You’d always run up to me and mom and start spinning in really fast circles and fall down laughing”  
Gabriella laughed, she obviously didn’t remember any of that, but hearing about her mom and herself as a baby always made her smile. “Yeah, I’m probably still about as good as I was back then”  
“Sometimes you would grab my hand and pull at me with your tiny body strength until I would get up and move around with you. You’d wiggle and spin and expected me to do exactly what you were doing. You were cute.”  
“Of course I was, Cassie”  
“I’ve missed you so much”  
“I missed you too”  
Gabriella talked more about her life, she mentioned her roommate. Gabriella told Castiel that Samantha was a lawyer and she was “tall, cute, and super smart. She’s also great at her job”  
“Cute, huh?”  
“Yeah. She’s really cute”  
“and single?”  
“She wouldn’t be interested in you”  
“I didn’t mean for me”  
Gabriella understood what he meant and changed the subject. “I also went to college, the best part about college was my study abroad in India. That’s where I met my former roommate and best friend to this day, Kali Zahira.”  
“You studied in India? That’s really cool!”  
“Yeah. It was a lot of fun! I was there the spring semester so I got to travel around India the following summer.”  
“Have you done anything else cool like that?”  
“Not really but we should take a vacation sometime, you and me”  
“That sounds like fun, I would really like that”  
“Anyway, why don’t you catch me up on everything that I’ve missed in your life?”  
“Well, after everything that happened I was between living in shelters and crashing at friend’s places, worked wherever I could, finished high school as well as I could manage, actually ended up in college, took business classes so I could learn how to run a business, met some really lovely people in the performance department and minored in that, found some friends who had connections to dance teachers, learned the ropes by teaching at a few different schools, and ended up here teaching at my own studio. Relationship wise, there were a few shitty boyfriends and losing friends from sheer disconnect.”  
Gabriella nodded. “Survived pretty well on your own for a 16-year-old”  
“Well you get resourceful when you have nothing more to lose other than your life”  
“I wouldn’t know”  
“I really wish I hadn’t lost so much time with you Gabby. I thought about you all the time”  
“Well, we have plenty of time to make up for it”  
Castiel hugged his sister and she, thankfully, hugged back. The siblings spent most of the time in the kitchen, ordering in dinner, eating, drinking, baking dessert (though that was mostly Gabby), and watching Netflix on Castiel’s computer. Before it got too late Gabby went home. Castiel walked her to the train, gave her his number (unaware that she had it) and told her to call, text, or pop on over any time before the two of them went home. 

Back at the Novak-Winchester apartment, Sam waited up for Gabby to get home. She was just a worried because she hadn’t heard from her roomie and Gabby was usually home by now. She was going to give it a few more minutes before she called.  
Gabriella came home just as Sam unlocked out her phone to call Gabriella. “Hey Sammich. You’re still up?”  
“Hey, yeah, I was just a little worried. What’chya been up to?”  
“I went to Castiel’s house.”  
“You did? How did that go?”  
“I broke his nose”  
“. . . Gabriella no”  
“I’m kidding! We had a great time together”  
“Oh! I’m so glad! I hope I get a chance to meet him soon.”  
“You will, we can have him come over for dinner!”  
“Good idea” Sam nodded. “I’m really glad you had a great time, tell me about it! C’mere, lay with me”  
Gabriella laid on the couch with Sam and told her all about her evening with Castiel. After Gabby finished telling her tale Sam turned on the TV for them to unwind and chill out before bed, Sam falling asleep midway through the show because she was tired.  
Gabriella nudged Samantha when the show ended and she saw she was asleep. “Hey, Sammich, time to wake up”  
“Mm, sleep” Sam muttered, turning over slightly.  
“Sleep in bed, Not the couch”  
“Sleeeeeep” Sam muttered louder, pulling Gabriella closer to her and wrapping her arms around the smaller woman.  
“Listen, Sammich, if I have to pick you up and carry you to bed I will, but it will be a very unpleasant experience both of us and will probably end up with both of us on the floor rather than in a bed”  
“Small little Gabby” Samantha said, nothing moving.  
“Hey! I’m not that small. You’re just a giant”  
“You fit so snug arms. I love you, Gabby”  
“I love you too, Sammich”  
Sam sat up and looked very grumpy that she was awake, but she just needed to get to her bed. “Sleep with me, I’m cold”  
Gabriella couldn’t say no to that.


	7. I'll be there for you

When Sam woke up Gabriella was already awake, standing over the stove with a pan in hand. Sam stretched as she walked across the apartment to the kitchen.  
“Hey Sammich” Gabriella said when she heard Sam’s footsteps.  
“Mornin’ Gabby. What are you making?”  
“Chocolate chip pancakes” Gabriella answered.  
“Work today?”  
“Yep.”  
“Can you bring home some of your cinnamon scones? I’m _dying_ for some”  
“No problem”  
“Want me to pick up anything on the way home?” Sam asked.  
“Chocolate chips and baking soda”  
“Sure thing”  
Gabriella placed a plate of pancakes before Sam. “Syrup is in the fridge”  
“Whoever manages to make you their wife is going to be one lucky mother fucker” Sam said, Gabby made breakfast and dinner a lot, if she didn’t she would bring home stuff from her bakery instead, this saved Sam a lot of money since she didn’t have to eat out and Gabriella’s food was always amazing, except for when she started to get experimental, then it was crapshoot, it might be amazing, it might lead to food poisoning. All Sam knew is she was really going to miss Gabriella’s cooking if she got married and moved out.  
“They are and trust me they are going to know it” Gabriella said sitting across from Sam with her own plate of pancakes. “So, thanksgiving is coming up. Are you going back to Kansas for it again?”  
“Doubt it. Mom’s thinking of maybe coming up to New York this year instead”  
“Oh really?”  
“Yeah. She hasn’t been here in a very long time and loves that Dean and I live so close to each other. What about you?” Sam knew what Gabriella usually did but now she had another family member she could invite.  
“I don’t know what I’m going to do. . . We both know my parents usually come down and mom and I cook but. . . I kinda wanted to have Castiel down and while Castiel and my mom have an okay-ish relationship, Cas and dad do not”  
“Maybe this year you should have Cas over for Leftovers Friday, it’s just as good and much more relaxed. Movies, turkey and gravy sandwiches, sweatpants, and jokes galore”  
“Okay. . . Just kinda feel bad for him, I got the feeling he has no friends”  
“From what Dean has told me Dean is his only friend”  
“Yeah, sounds about right”  
“It is really sad, but you know Thanksgiving is going to be a train wreck if you invite him”  
“I’m aware”  
“Do whatever is going to make you feel the most happy and the least guilty”  
“I wish there was a way mom and Quinn could come down without dad, then Castiel could come down as well. And then we could have left over Friday’s to ourselves, like always”  
“We could always have a mini thanksgiving on Wednesday with just Cas”  
Gabriella considered it while chewing on a forkful of pancake. “That could work”  
“See, I have good ideas sometimes!”  
“That’s why the DA pays you the big bucks” Gabriella joked.  
Both women finished their pancakes and went to work.

Later that day Gabriella called Castiel to ask him if he would like to come on Wednesday and have dinner with herself and Samantha since both her and Samantha had the day off, Gabriella closed her bakery Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for Thanksgiving. Sam just worked from home on Wednesday and Friday.  
“Yeah that sounds fantastic! What are your plans for Thanksgiving?” Castiel asked. He was in the middle of shopping when Gabby called him. He had a very specific tradition on Thanksgiving of making his favorite and least healthy meals for breakfast and dinner, watching the parade, and eating pretty much a whole pie.  
“Mom and dad are coming down with Quinn.”  
“Quinn is still alive?” Castiel asked, their family adopted Quinn when Castiel was 9. If Quinn was still alive, she was really old.  
“. . . This is more Quinn 2.0, technically.”  
“I really miss Quinn” Castiel said.  
“I can show you pictures of Quinn 2, she is so cute!” All the Novaks, except for Chuck, had an affinity for cats. “I want a kitten”  
“You deserve a kitten. You and Sam should adopt one”  
Gabriella suddenly couldn’t think of a single thing wrong with that idea and wondered why she hadn’t thought it years ago. “We should get a kitten! I’ll talk to Sam about it at some point”  
“Good idea. What time should I come over and what should I bring? I’m shopping right now so I’ll pick up anything you want”  
“Come anytime around 4 and bring sweet potato pie as that is the one pie I have yet to learn how to make”  
“No problem. Love you Gabby, see you Wednesday”  
“See you then, Cassie”  
They both hung up. Castiel had just bought his groceries and was outside the store when he got a call from Dean. The groceries required both his hands to carry so he used his earbuds and mic to talk to Dean. “Hey Dean, how are you?”  
“I’m good. I was just wondering what your plans were regarding Thanksgiving?” Before Castiel could answer he continued, “my sister and my mom are going to have dinner at my place. Benny’s gonna join too since he doesn’t have any family. I think Sam invited Ruby and Bela as well. I was thinking that, you might wanna come have dinner with us too?”  
Castiel’s plans, though he tried to enjoy them, we’re very lonely. “Yes, actually, I would love that”  
“Great! The more the merrier”  
“What do you want me to bring?”  
“Apple pie and, if you want, booze”  
“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you on Thursday!”  
“See you then, Cas”  
Castiel hung up the phone, elated that Dean invited him over, he went back into the supermarket and got the pie and booze like Dean asked.


End file.
